Personality disorders affect the way we think, feel and behave. Personality disorders are a group of conditions characterised by an inability to get on with other people and learn from experience. People with a personality disorder may find that their beliefs and attitudes are different from those of most other people. Others may find their behaviour unusual, unexpected or perhaps offensive.
People with a personality disorder may find it difficult to start or maintain relationships or to work effectively with others, causing them to feel unhappy and distressed as a result of their differences.
People diagnosed with personality disorder may be very inflexible – they may have a narrow range of attitudes, behaviours and coping mechanisms that they can't change easily, if at all. They may not understand why they need to change as they do not feel they have a problem.
Personality disorders typically emerge in adolescence and continue into adulthood. They may be mild, moderate or severe and people may have periods of ‘remission’ where they function well.